“You disapprove?”
“Only the Holy Father and the Cardinal Secretary of State outrank Bertoli. Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether I approve or disapprove. Bertoli picks out the paintings that catch his eye, and I arrange to have them temporarily transferred to his possession.”
“Surely there’s some paperwork involved.”
Calvesi shrugged. “You know how this place works, Gabriel. Some things around here are handled very informally.”
“When did the Madonna and Child by a follower of Raphael catch Bertoli’s eye?”
“Is that what this is about?”
“When, Antonio?”
“Not long after Penny began work on it.”
“Where was it at the time?”
“In the lab.”
“Had she discovered the hidden painting by then?”
Calvesi nodded.
“And you, of course, told Bertoli about it.”
“I might have mentioned it in passing.”
“The cardinal must have been quite intrigued.”
Calvesi folded his arms across his chest. “Where are we going with this?”
“The late Giorgio Montefiore.”
“What about him?”
“On the day that you and I discovered the painting was missing,you left me with the impression that you were the one who had asked Montefiore to have a look at it. But that wasn’t the case, was it, Antonio?”
He shook his head. “It was Bertoli who called Montefiore. Then Montefiore called me.”
“He wanted to see the painting?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you should have told me the truth the first time.”
“It didn’t seem relevant. Besides, I didn’t realize I was speaking to a police officer.”
“Luckily for you, you weren’t. Nevertheless I intend to tell the Holy Father that you were the one who arranged to have the painting removed from the storeroom.”
“But it’s not true.”
“I know it isn’t true, Antonio. And so does Cardinal Bertoli.”
44
Osteria Lucrezia
“We really have to stop meeting like this, Holiness.”
